Web page error reporting

ABSTRACT

An error in a web page displayed on a device is detected. The error is assigned to a bucket to indicate a type of the error, and a record describing the current state of the device is generated. Both an indication of the bucket and the record describing the current state of the device are then sent to a server. At the server, error information including error records and bucket identifiers are received from multiple devices. Each error record describes a current state of one of the multiple devices at a time when an error in a web page displayed on the one device was detected. Each bucket identifier corresponds to one of the error records and describes a type of the error associated with that error record. The error records are grouped into multiple baskets based at least in part on the current state information in the error records.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/772,684, filed May 3, 2010, entitled “Web Page Error Reporting” toKellie Eickmeyer, et al., which is hereby incorporated by referenceherein. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/772,684 is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/820,710, now U.S. Pat. No.7,739,551, filed Jun. 20, 2007, entitled “Web Page Error Reporting” toKellie Eickmeyer, et al., which is hereby incorporated by referenceherein.

BACKGROUND

The world wide web, or simply the web, has made available many differentweb pages that users can navigate to and read. Some web pages maintainthis simple functionality, while other web pages have evolved to thepoint where they embed programs that run when a user navigates to theweb page. These programs can improve the user's experience of the webpage, and can also increase the functionality that is made available tousers of the web page. However, one problem faced with these programs aswell as web pages in general is that it is difficult for the web pagedesigner or web site publisher to get feedback regarding errors thatoccur during operation of these programs or display of the web page.

SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the web page error reportingdiscussed herein, an indication is received from a user of a device ofan error in a web page displayed on the device. In response to theindication, a user interface form is displayed to allow the user toassign a bucket to indicate the type of error and to describe the error.At least one of a record describing a current state of the device and anindication of the bucket is sent to an error reporting server.

In accordance with one or more other aspects of the web page errorreporting discussed herein, an error in a web page displayed by abrowser of the device is detected. The error is assigned to a bucket toindicate a type of the error, and a record describing a current state ofthe device is generated. Both the record and an indication of the bucketare sent to an error reporting server when error data collection for thebrowser is turned on, and when error data collection for the browser isturned off, neither the record nor the indication of the bucket is sentto the error reporting server.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference likefeatures.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example system in which the web page errorreporting can be employed.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example device that can be used with the web pageerror reporting discussed herein.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example process for a devicereporting errors.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example error reporting server that can be usedwith the web page error reporting discussed herein.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example process for an errorreporting server processing error records.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example computing device that can be configured toimplement the web page error reporting discussed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Web page error reporting is discussed herein. Programs, referred toherein as web applications, can be embedded in web pages. An errormonitoring module on a device monitors web pages as they are displayedon the device, including monitoring of web applications as they run onthe device. The error monitoring module detects errors in the web pagesand web applications as they occur. When an error is detected, the erroris assigned to one of multiple buckets based on the type of error, and arecord describing the current state of the device is generated. Thisrecord and the assigned bucket for the error is sent to a reportingserver. The reporting server collects records from multiple devices anduses the records as well as the assigned buckets to assign the errors toone of multiple baskets. The information regarding the baskets, as wellas the generated records, can be made available to the web page and/orweb application designer in order for the designer to review the errorsand determine any appropriate changes that should be made to the webpage and/or web application.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example system 100 in which the web page errorreporting can be employed. System 100 includes one or more web pagesources 102, one or more error reporting servers 104, and multiple (x)devices 106(1), . . . , 106(x). These components 102-106 can communicatewith one another over network 108. Network 108 can be any of a varietyof networks, such as the Internet, a local area network, other publicand/or proprietary networks, combinations thereof, and so forth.

Web page source(s) 102 and error reporting server(s) 104 can beimplemented on one or more computing devices. Multiple ones of web pagesource(s) 102 and error reporting server(s) 104 can optionally beimplemented on the same computing device (e.g., two web page sources 102may be implemented on the same computing device, a web page source 102and an error reporting server 104 may be implemented on the samecomputing device, and so forth).

Web page source 102 makes web pages 112 available to devices 106. One ormore of these web pages can each include one or more web application(s).A web application refers to an application that is accessed over theInternet and run on a device 106. A web application is not a stand-aloneapplication. Rather, the web application is included or embedded in aweb page that is loaded by another application running on device 106,such as a web browser. When the web page is loaded, the web applicationis also loaded and run by the other application (e.g., the web browser).Additional information can be displayed or otherwise presented by theweb page along with the user interface generated by running the webapplication. Alternatively the only information displayed or otherwisepresented to the user from the web page is from the user interfacegenerated by running the web application.

A web application can be included directly in a web page by, forexample, including the instructions or code for the web application aspart of the markup for the web page itself. A web application can alsobe included indirectly in a web page by, for example, including a linkor other reference to where the instructions or the code for the webapplication can be obtained. The web browser (or other application) ondevice 106 accesses this linked-to or otherwise referenced location toobtain the instructions or the code for the web application. Webapplications can be written in any of a variety of different languages,such as: the JScript® development software available from MicrosoftCorporation of Redmond, Wash.; the JavaScript™ technology available fromSun Microsystems, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif.; AJAX (AsynchronousJavaScript and XML); and so forth.

References to errors in web pages are made herein. It is to beappreciated that errors in web pages include errors in web applicationsembedded in web pages, errors in other portions of the web pages, anderrors in web pages in which no web applications are embedded.

Web page source 102 can be, for example, a web server that hosts webpages. Alternatively, web page source 102 can be other components ordevices, such as a cache, a proxy, and so forth. Additionally, it is tobe appreciated that a web page and/or web application, once obtainedfrom another component or device via network 108, can be cached locallyat devices 106.

Web page source 102 can have one or more web pages 112 and differentsources 102 typically have different web pages 112. Alternatively, twoor more sources 102 may have the same web page 112. Web applications aretypically included as part of a web page(s) that can be navigated to bydevices 106.

Devices 106 represent any of a variety of different types of computingdevices, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, handheld computersor personal digital assistants (PDAs), automotive computers, cellularphones, game consoles, and so forth. Devices 106 obtain web pages 116,118 from web page source(s) 102 and display those web pages 116, 118,including running any web applications embedded therein. Differentdevices 106 can obtain and display different web pages 116, 118, oralternatively the same web pages. Web pages 116, 118 are selected onesof web pages 112. A particular web application can be selected to be runon device 106 in a variety of different manners, such as by the user ofa device 106 navigating to a web page that includes a web application(e.g., using a web browser or other suitably configured application),the user entering a command to select a particular web application,another program (not shown) running on device 106 (or on some otherdevice) selecting a program, and so forth. As used herein, the userrefers to the end user of a device 106 (e.g., an individual viewing webpages).

Each device 106 also includes a web page error monitoring module 122,124. Web page error monitoring module 122, 124 monitors web pages 116,118 for errors. When an error is detected by module 122, 124, module122, 124 reports the error by sending an indication of a type of theerror and optionally a record of a current state of the device 106 atthe time the error was detected to error reporting server 104. Web pageerror monitoring module 122, 124 can be implemented as a stand-aloneprogram, or alternatively can be incorporated as part of another program(e.g., a web browser).

FIG. 2 illustrates an example device 200 that can be used with the webpage error reporting discussed herein. Device 200 can be, for example, adevice 106 of FIG. 1.

Device 200 includes a web page error monitoring module 204, an errorreporting module 206, a device state record creation module 208, abucketizing module 210, a user form user interface (UI) module 212, anda bucket log module 214. Each of modules 204-214 can be implemented insoftware, firmware, hardware, or combinations thereof. A web page 202,which can include a web application, is also displayed on device 200.Web page 202 can be any of web pages 116, 118 of FIG. 1. It is to beappreciated that although a single web page is illustrated in FIG. 2,multiple different web pages can be displayed on device 200 sequentiallyand/or concurrently.

Generally, web page error monitoring module 204 monitors web page 202and detects errors in web page 202. These errors can be automaticallydetected, or alternatively user form UI module 212 can present a userinterface that allows the user of web page 202 to specify errors he orshe identifies. User-specified errors are grouped together in buckets bybucket log module 214, and automatically detected errors are groupedtogether in buckets by bucketizing module 210. In response to a detectederror, whether user-specified or automatically detected, device staterecord creation module 208 generates a record describing a current stateof device 200. Error reporting module 206 sends this record to errorreporting server 104 of FIG. 1. Error reporting module 206 also sends toserver 104 an indication of a type of the error being reported, thistype being identified by the bucket to which the error is assigned bymodule 210 or 214.

Any of a variety of different errors can be encountered when displayinga web page, including errors encountered when running a web applicationembedded in the web page. Generally, an error refers to the situationwhere something with the web page and/or web application does not behaveas desired or intended by the author or developer of the page orapplication. Examples of errors include errors in an operating systemrunning on device 200, triggers contained in an application displaying aweb page (e.g., a web browser) that dictate an error condition hasarisen, bugs in an application displaying a web page (e.g., a webbrowser) that cause undesired behavior, bugs in web pages and/or webapplications that produce behavior not intended by the author ordeveloper, server errors that cause malfunctions in the web page or webapplication, and so forth.

Detection of errors by web page error monitoring module 204 includesboth automatic error detection and user-specified error detection.Module 204 is illustrated as a separate module in device 200, althoughit is to be appreciated that module 204 can be implemented as part ofanother module. For example, module 204 can be implemented as part of aweb browser or other suitably configured program, and the functionalityof module 204 discussed herein will be performed by the web browser orother suitably configured program.

Automatic error detection is performed by module 204 monitoring web page202 for various triggers, and detecting that an error has occurred whenthe condition(s) defined by one of these triggers has been satisfied.Any of a variety of different triggers can be defined using any of avariety of different conditions. For example, network issues can betriggers, performance issues can be triggers, permission errors can betriggers, script errors can be triggers, and so forth. Network issuetriggers include, for example, the inability to access a desiredlocation or device on the network, inability to access a desirednetwork, and so forth. Performance issue triggers include, for example,delays in displaying of web pages, delays between user-selection of anoption (e.g., a button) and the action corresponding to that optionoccurring, delays in installing code, and so forth. Permission errortriggers include, for example, being denied access to a particular webpage, being denied access to a local object or other resource, and soforth. Script error triggers include, for example, attempting to accessan unavailable object, attempting to access a nonexistent object, and soforth.

Various other triggers related to the web page or web application canalso lead to module 204 detecting that an error has occurred. Forexample, parsing errors encountered by the application displaying theweb page (e.g., a web browser) can be triggers indicating an error. Byway of another example, layout and rendering errors encountered by theapplication displaying the web page (e.g., a web browser) can betriggers indicating an error. By way of yet another example, sourceerrors in a web application can be triggers indicating an error. By wayof still another example, web page specific or web application specificerrors can be triggers indicating an error. Such page or applicationspecific errors can be defined in the page or application by the authorof the page or application, allowing the author to customize the triggerand error detection as he or she desires.

Automatic error detection can also be performed by module 204 usinginformation that is available in web page 202 and/or a web applicationembedded in web page 202. For example, the particular triggers can bespecified in information embedded in tags in the web application or webpage, in header information of the web application or web page, inmetadata associated with the web application or web page, and so forth.

Additionally, in one or more embodiments the triggers used by web pageerror monitoring module 204 are optionally implemented based on variouscriteria. These criteria can include, for example, requests from oroptions being set by a user of device 200, information in web page 202or the web application embedded in web page 202, and so forth. Forexample, module 204 may monitor web page 202 for errors only if the userof device 200 has opted-in to error reporting in general or errorreporting for web pages. By way of another example, particular web pagesor web applications may include information (e.g., in tags, in a header,in metadata, etc.) requesting that the web page or web application bemonitored for errors.

When an error is automatically detected, bucketizing module 210 assignsthe error to a particular one of multiple buckets. Different types oferrors are assigned to different buckets, so in assigning a detectederror to a particular bucket bucketizing module 210 is assigning aparticular error type to the detected error. Generally, bucketizingmodule 210 assigns the error to a bucket based at least in part on thetrigger that occurred that caused the error to be detected.

Various bucketing criteria can be used to assign the error to a bucket.In one or more embodiments, the error is assigned to a bucket based atleast in part on the trigger that occurred that caused the error to bedetected. In this manner, errors that were caused by the same triggersare grouped together in the same bucket.

Table I lists example bucketing criteria that can be used to assignerrors to different buckets. It is to be appreciated that Table I isonly an example, and that other criteria could alternatively be used inaddition to, or in place of, criteria listed in Table I. Additionally,it is to be appreciated that not all of the criteria listed in Table Ineed be used to assign an error to a bucket.

TABLE I Criteria Description Name The name of the web application or webpage in which the error was detected. Version The version of the webapplication or web page in which the error was detected. Failure ID Aunique identifier of the trigger that caused the error to be detected.Domain A portion of the uniform resource locator (URL) of the web pagein which the error was detected. The URL is the address of the web page,and this portion is typically the domain name of the URL. DOM tree Ahash value taken by applying a hash function to one or hash more levelsof the document object model (DOM) tree representing the web page inwhich the error was detected. In one or more embodiments, the hash istaken of the top three levels of the DOM tree, providing a valueidentifying the basic layout of the web page. Alternatively, the hashfunction can be applied to more or fewer levels, and can be applied todifferent locations in the DOM tree (e.g., at the location where anoperation was being executed that caused the error to be detected).Actions A hash value taken by applying a hash function to a list ofstack hash the actions that were most recently taken in the applicationthat is displaying the web page (e.g., the actions that were mostrecently taken in the web browser). In one or more embodiments, the hashfunction is applied to a list of the last 10 actions, althoughalternatively the hash function may be applied to fewer or more actions.Error An error message that was displayed on the device as a messageresult of the error. This error message could be displayed, for example,by an application displaying the web page (e.g., a web browser), anoperating system running on the device, etc. Custom Any criteriaidentified by the web page as data that should parameter be used. A webpage or web application can customize the criteria to use by specifyingthe specific criteria to be used. This specified criteria can becriteria described above in Table I, as well as other criteria inaddition to or in place of the criteria described above in Table I.

In addition to, or alternatively in place of, the automatically detectederrors, user-specified errors can be detected. In the case ofuser-specified errors, the errors are identified by the user rather thanbeing automatically detected. An option for the user to initiatereporting of an error is typically presented to the user. This optioncan be, for example, an icon, a button, a menu item from a drop-downmenu, and so forth. When the user believes he or she has encountered anerror, the user can select this option to indicate that an error hasbeen encountered. For example, if a user believes that the display ofthe web page does not look correct, or that a particular operation istaking too long, he or she can indicate that an error has beenencountered.

When the user indicates an error has been encountered, user form UImodule 212 displays a form for the user to fill out regarding the error.This form can provide any of a variety of different data input options,such as a drop-down menu from which the user can select an error type(e.g., web page does not display correctly, response is taking too long,etc.), a set of radio buttons from which the user can select an errortype, a text field into which the user can type a description of theerror, and so forth. In one or more embodiments, the user is also ableto select a portion of the display in which he or she believes the erroroccurred. For example, if the user believes particular characters arenot being displayed correctly, he or she can select a “locate errorposition” option. The user can then use a cursor control device (such asa mouse) to navigate a pointer over those characters and make aselection (such as by pressing a mouse button). In response to theselection, module 212 (or alternatively module 204) detects the portionof the web page that was selected, such as by analyzing the DOM tree forthe web page to determine the portion.

In response to the user describing the error in the form displayed byuser form UI module 212, bucket log module 214 assigns theuser-specified error to a particular one of the multiple buckets. Eachuser-specified error has an associated ID that is used to assign theerror to a bucket. This ID can be automatically generated, such as byusing the same bucketing criteria discussed above with respect tobucketizing module 210. Alternatively, this ID can be assigned in othermanners. For example, each of the different error type options that arepresented to the user as part of the form by module 212 (e.g., via adrop-down menu, via radio buttons, etc.) can be associated with adifferent value, and this value can be the associated ID that is used toassign the error to a bucket.

When an error is detected by module 204, whether it is an automaticallydetected error or a user-specified error, device state record creationmodule 208 generates an error record describing a current state ofdevice 200. This error record can include any of a variety ofinformation describing the current state of device 200, includingapplications (web applications or other applications) running on device200, hardware that is included in device 200, settings of software orhardware of device 200, current status of device 200 on the network(e.g., network 108 of FIG. 1), and so forth. The data included in thisrecord is intended to give the developer of web page 202, oralternatively another party responsible for correcting errors in webpage 202, information regarding the state of device 200 at the time theerror occurred in order to assist in correcting any errors that may bein web page 202.

The error record generated by device state record creation module 208represents a current state of the device at the time the error wasdetected. However, it is to be appreciated that certain delays mayoccur, and that certain state of the device may change between the timethe error is detected and the error record is generated. For example,after the error is detected, several (or many) additional instructionsmay be executed before the error record is generated, and theseadditional instructions alter the state of the device. Module 208attempts to generate the record quickly so that little state has changedbetween the time the error is detected and the time the error record isgenerated.

Table II lists example data that can be included in the error recordgenerated by module 208. The data listed in Table II is datarepresenting the current state of device 200 at the time the data iscaptured. This capture occurs very shortly (e.g., as soon as module 208can be invoked) after the error is detected by module 204. It is to beappreciated that Table II is only an example, and that other data couldalternatively be included in the error record in addition to, or inplace of, data listed in Table II. Additionally, it is to be appreciatedthat not all of the data listed in Table II need be included in theerror record. References to the web page in Table II refer to the webpage having the detected error.

TABLE II Data Description Netmon Network traces. Data describing thedevice's actions light traces on the network, such as were post or getcommands in process, was a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connection inplace, what the most recently received and/or transmitted networkpackets were, and so forth. Original The HyperText Markup Language(HTML) or other source Source code (if in a different language) of theweb page. URL The uniform resource locator (URL) which is the address ofthe web page. OM Dump The current object model (OM) for the web page,such as and DOM the DOM for the web page. Stack Script and Any scripts,as well as the state of the memory that those Stacks scripts areaccessing, that are included in the web page. Browser Any preferences oroptions that have been set by the user Settings of the web browser orother application which displays the web page or runs the webapplication. Extensions Any extensions that are installed on the webbrowser Installed or other application which displays the web page orruns the web application. User A history of the user's actions, such asthe most recent Actions user actions. In one or more embodiments, thisis the Trace last 10 actions, although alternatively fewer or moreactions may be included. Browser Any calls to other controls or objects(e.g., any component Calls object model (COM) objects, any ActiveX ®controls, etc.) that are on device 200.

In one or more embodiments, web page error monitoring module 204 invokesdevice state record creation module 208 to create an error record thatincludes the current state of device 200 only if data collection for thebucket to which the error is assigned is turned on. Collection ofcurrent state data may be turned on only for certain buckets.Accordingly, module 204 obtains an indication of the bucket to which theerror is assigned from bucketizing module 210, and invokes module 208 tocreate the record of the current state of device 200 only if datacollection for that bucket is turned on. If data collection for thatbucket is turned off, then module 208 need not create the record of thecurrent state of device 200. Alternatively, module 208 may create therecord, or at least begin creating the record, regardless of whetherdata collection for the bucket is turned on, but then not have therecord sent to error reporting server 104 unless data collection for thebucket is turned on.

Data collection for a particular bucket can be turned on and off forvarious reasons. For example, situations can arise where error reportingserver 104 of FIG. 1 has already obtained a large amount of dataregarding a particular type of error. In such cases, error reportingserver 104 can notify device 200 that data collection for the bucketcorresponding to that particular type of error is turned off so thatserver 104 does not become inundated with error records for the sametype of error from devices.

Error reporting module 206 sends a notification that the error occurredto error reporting server 104 of FIG. 1. This notification is sent forboth automatically detected errors and user-specified errors. Module 206can send this notification as soon as the error occurs and all the datahas been collected, or alternatively module 206 can collect theinformation regarding the errors and batch the sending of informationregarding multiple errors together (e.g., once per day, once per week,as soon as a certain number of errors have been detected, etc.).

Error reporting module 206 sends the error record created by module 208to error reporting server 104 (optionally only if the bucket to whichthe error is assigned is turned on). Error reporting module 206 alsosends an indication of a type of the error being reported, which istypically a bucket identifier of the bucket to which the error isassigned whether by bucketizing module 210 or bucket log module 214.This bucket identifier and the error record correspond to or areassociated with the same error, and thus the bucket identifier and theerror record correspond to or are associated with each other.

Along with the type of the error being reported, additional informationsuch as the criteria used to assign the error to a bucket can also besent (if not already included as part of the record generated by module208). Sending the indication of the type of error, even if no record issent, allows error reporting server 104 to maintain a count of howfrequently the error occurs even if records of the current states of thedevices are not generated for every error.

In one or more alternate embodiments, the errors may not be assigned tobuckets by device 200. Rather, when an error is detected, the record ofthe current state of device 200 can be generated and sent to errorreporting server 104 of FIG. 1. Server 104, in turn, can optionallyassign the error to a bucket in the same manner as device 200 discussedabove, or alternatively may simply assign the error to a particularbasket as discussed below.

In one or more embodiments, web page error monitoring module 204monitors web page 202 for errors, assigns detected errors to buckets,and creates device state records as discussed herein. However, prior tosending the created record and assigned bucket to server 104, the useris informed that this data will be sent and is permitted to choosewhether the data is set. The user can also be given the option to viewthe specific data that will be sent, as well as view a privacy policythat informs the user how the data will be used.

In addition, some of the operation of device 200 could be transferred tothe web page source(s), such as the devices hosting the web pages. Forexample, when module 204 detects an error, the error record of thecurrent state of device 200 could be sent to the device hosting the webpage in which the error was detected or hosting the web page thatincludes the web application in which the error was detected. Thishosting device could then assign the error to a bucket, or alternativelymake the error record immediately available to a designer or otheradministrator of the web page so that what correction, if any, should bemade can be determined quickly.

It should also be noted that, although the web page error monitoringmodule 204 is discussed as detecting the errors, the web page and/or webapplication itself can alternatively detect the errors. For example, theweb page and/or web application could have code or instructions thatoperate analogous to module 204 as discussed above to detect errors.Module 204 could then be invoked by the web page or web application,such as through an application programming interface (API) exposed bymodule 204, to act on the detected error as discussed above. In suchsituations, the detection performed by module 204 would be detection ofthe error via a call made by the web page and/or web application to theexposed API.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example process 300 for a devicereporting errors. Process 300 is carried out by a device, such as device200 of FIG. 2, and can be implemented in software, firmware, hardware,or combinations thereof. Process 300 is an example process forreporting; additional discussions of reporting errors are includedabove.

Initially, a web page error to be reported is detected (act 302). Asdiscussed above, this can be an automatic detection or alternatively auser-specified detection. The detected error is assigned to a particularbucket (act 304) that identifies the type of the error.

A check is then made as to whether data collection for the bucket towhich the error is assigned is turned on (act 306). If data collectionis turned on, then an error record of the current state of the device isgenerated (act 308). The generated record as well as a bucket identifierthat indicates the bucket to which the error is assigned is sent to theerror reporting server (act 310). Additional information, such as thecriteria used to assign the error to a bucket, is optionally included inthis data sent to the error reporting server. The reporting process forthe detected error is then complete (act 312).

Returning to act 306, if data collection for the bucket to which theerror is assigned is turned off, then a bucket identifier that indicatesthe bucket to which the error is assigned is sent to the error reportingserver (act 314). Additional information, such as the criteria used toassign the error to a bucket, is optionally included in this data sentto the error reporting server. The reporting process for the detectederror is then complete (act 312). Alternatively, if data collection forthe bucket to which the error is assigned is turned off, then the recordof the current state of the device may still be generated but simply notsent to the error reporting server, or the record may still be sent tothe error reporting server but deleted or ignored by the error reportingserver.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example error reporting server 400 that can beused with the web page error reporting discussed herein. Error reportingserver 400 can be, for example, a server 104 of FIG. 1.

Error reporting server 400 includes an error information collectionmodule 402, a received error information data store 404, an errorinformation analysis module 406, an analyzed error information datastore 408, an error information viewing module 410, and an errorinformation reporting module 412. Each of modules 402, 406, 410, and 412can be implemented in software, firmware, hardware, or combinationsthereof. Additionally, modules 402, 406, 410, and 412, as well as stores404 and 408, can be implemented on the same device, or alternatively canbe implemented on two or more different devices.

As discussed above, error reporting server 400 receives informationregarding errors detected by devices, including an identifier of thetype of error as well as possibly a record of the current state of thedevice. This information received from the devices is received by errorinformation collection module 402, which stores the data in receivederror information data store 404. This data stored in store 404 includesa count of how many times errors of particular types are detected by thevarious devices. In situations where only the identifier of the type oferror (e.g., an indication of the bucket to which the detected error wasassigned) is received, then the count of how many times that error hasbeen detected is incremented in data store 404 by error informationcollection module 402.

The information stored by error information collection module 402 indata store 404 is obtained from multiple devices 106 of FIG. 1. Thesemultiple devices use the same criteria for assigning errors to buckets,so multiple devices can detect errors and assign the detected errors tothe same bucket. Thus, error information collection module 402 can, andtypically does, receive information regarding detected errors that areassigned to the same bucket from multiple devices.

Error information analysis module 406 accesses the information stored indata store 404 received from multiple devices, and analyzes the data toassign the errors to one of multiple baskets. Errors are assigned tobaskets based at least on the type of the error. These baskets aresimilar to the buckets discussed above, however the baskets can, andtypically do, include data from multiple devices rather than a singledevice. Additionally, error information analysis module 406 attempts togroup errors into more general baskets in order to find common problemsacross multiple web pages.

Error information analysis module 406 can assign errors to baskets usingany of a variety of different basketing criteria. This basketingcriteria can be the same as the bucketing criteria discussed above(e.g., using the example criteria from Table I above), can be based ondata received in the error record (e.g., the data from Table II above),or alternatively can be different criteria. Module 406 assigns similartypes of errors to the same basket. In one or more embodiments, module406 uses only selected ones of the criteria as were used by bucketingmodule 210 of FIG. 2 to assign the errors to buckets. This selectedcriteria are chosen so that similar types of errors are assigned to thesame basket.

For example, assume that the criteria used by bucketing module 210 ofFIG. 2 is the criteria discussed above with respect to Table I. Theselected criteria used by module 406 can be the name, version, and DOMtree hash. In such situations, errors that occurred at approximately thesame portion of the web page would be grouped into the same basket eventhough the errors occurred for different domains. By way of anotherexample, the selected criteria used by module 406 may be the name,version, and failure ID. In such situations, user-specified errors inthe same web application where the user specified the same error typewould be grouped into the same basket even though the errors occurredfor different domains, different DOM tree hash values, and differentaction stack hash values.

The creation of baskets can be viewed as merging or combining multiplebuckets into a single basket. All of the errors, and correspondinginformation, that were previously assigned to those multiple buckets arenow assigned to the new basket.

In one or more embodiments, the received error information is monitoredby error information collection module 402 and/or error informationanalysis module 406 to determine when data collection for a particularbucket should be turned off. When greater than a threshold number ofcurrent device state records are received for a particular bucket, thendata collection for that bucket is turned off by module 402 and/ormodule 406 sending a notification to the devices 106 of FIG. 1 that datacollection for that bucket is turned off. This threshold number can be,for example, ten, although larger or smaller numbers can alternativelybe used. However, error information collection module 402 continues toreceive the information identifying which bucket a detected error wasassigned to so that the count of the number of errors of that type (thenumber of errors that were assigned to that bucket) can be incrementedappropriately in data store 404.

Additionally, it should be noted that, once server 400 turns off datacollection for a particular bucket, the data collection can subsequentlybe turned back on. This can be accomplished, for example, by module 402and/or module 406 sending a notification to the devices 106 of FIG. 1that data collection for that bucket is turned on. Data collection maybe turned back on for a bucket for different reasons, such as thesituation where data collection was turned off because the thresholdnumber of current device state records had been received but a developerof a web page having errors may desire more information.

Error information analysis module 406 stores the baskets of records inanalyzed error information data store 408. Data store 408 may be adifferent store, or alternatively the same store, as received errorinformation data store 404. For each basket, data store 408 stores theerror information for each error assigned to the basket. This errorinformation includes, for example, records of current device stateinformation for the errors assigned to the basket, and a count of thenumber of times an error was assigned to a bucket that was included inthis basket.

The error information stored in analyzed error information data store408 can also be accessed by error information viewing module 410 anderror information reporting module 412. Modules 410 and 412 operate todisplay or otherwise present the data from store 408 to web applicationdevelopers, web page administrators, or any other party. The data can bedisplayed at different locations, such as at server 400, at a remotedevice that accesses modules 410 and/or 412 (e.g., via network 108 ofFIG. 1), and so forth, or module 412 may generate reports that aretransmitted to other devices or for which hard copies are produced.

Error information viewing module 410 displays or otherwise presents therecords of current device states to a party requesting them. Individualrecords can be accessed and the contents of those records can bedisplayed to the requesting party. Error information reporting module412 generates and displays (or otherwise presents) records summarizingthe information stored in data store 408. Any of a variety of differentreports can be generated, such as how many errors were recorded for aparticular basket, how many errors were reported for a particular webpage and/or version of the web page, what errors were reported during aparticular time period (such as last week, in the last 24 hours, in themonth of October 2006, and so forth).

Additionally, in one or more embodiments a module such as errorinformation collection module 402 also returns online error responseinformation to devices 106 of FIG. 1. Online error response informationis information that can be displayed to a user of a device 106 to informthe user of actions he or she can take to avoid encountering aparticular error again in the future. For example, the user may need tochange settings on his or her device, install a new version of aprogram, install a software patch on his or her device, and so forth.

A developer of the web application (or alternatively other individuals)can determine what actions the users should take for particular types oferrors, and this information can be returned to the devices 106 bymodule 402. The information can be returned whenever a detected errorfor which online error response information is available is received bymodule 402. Alternatively, module 402 can send the information to webpage error monitoring module 204 of FIG. 2 of the device 106 so that thedevice 106 itself can determine the appropriate online error responseinformation to display when an error is detected without notifyingserver 400 of the detected error. For example, the online error responseinformation for a particular type of error may be that the user shouldinstall a particular software patch on his or her device. When module402 receives an error from a device 106 with a bucket identifiercorresponding to that particular type of error, this online errorresponse information can be returned to device 106 for display to theuser.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example process 500 for an errorreporting server processing error records. Process 500 is carried out byan error reporting server, such as server 400 of FIG. 4, and can beimplemented in software, firmware, hardware, or combinations thereof.Process 500 is an example process for processing error records;additional discussions of reporting errors are included above.

Initially, error information is received from multiple devices (act502). As discussed above, this error information includes bucketidentifiers, optionally records of current device state, and optionallythe data used by the devices to assign the errors to particular buckets.The received error records are analyzed and grouped into multiplebaskets (act 504). These baskets can then be made available for viewing(act 506), reports can be generated regarding the errors that weredetected (act 508), and/or online error response information can be madeavailable to the devices (act 510).

Numerous usage scenarios can be created using the web page errorreporting discussed herein. Fees could be charged in exchange for theerror reporting being performed and/or various collected informationbeing made available. For example, a fee could be charged to various webpage developers or providers for performing the error reportingdiscussed herein. By way of another example, a fee could be charged forcertain reports generated by error reporting server 400. By way of yetanother example, a fee could be charged for the ability to send onlineerror response information to devices. By way of still another example,a fee could be charged for allowing access to the individual recordsstored in analyzed error information data store 408 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example computing device 600 that can beconfigured to implement the web page error reporting discussed herein.Computing device 600 can be, for example, a web page source 102, errorreporting server 104, or device 106 of FIG. 1, a device 200 of FIG. 2,or a server 400 of FIG. 4. Computing device 600 can be any of a varietyof different computing devices, such as a desktop computer, handheldcomputer, laptop computer, server computer, automotive computer, cellphone, personal digital assistant (PDA), game console, and so forth.

Computing device 600 includes one or more processors or processing units602, one or more computer readable media 604 which can include one ormore memory and/or storage components 606, one or more input/output(I/O) devices 608, and a bus 610 that allows the various components anddevices to communicate with one another. Computer readable media 604and/or I/O device(s) 608 can be included as part of, or alternativelymay be coupled to, computing device 600. Bus 610 represents one or moreof any of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus ormemory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and aprocessor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. Bus610 can include wired and/or wireless buses.

Memory/storage component 606 represents one or more computer storagemedia. Component 606 can include volatile media (such as random accessmemory (RAM)) and/or nonvolatile media (such as read only memory (ROM),Flash memory, optical disks, magnetic disks, and so forth). Component606 can include fixed media (e.g., RAM, ROM, a fixed hard drive, etc.)as well as removable media (e.g., a Flash memory drive, a removable harddrive, an optical disk, and so forth).

One or more input/output devices 608 allow a user to enter commands andinformation to computing device 600, and also allows information to bepresented to the user and/or other components or devices. Examples ofinput devices include a keyboard, a cursor control device (e.g., amouse), a microphone, a scanner, and so forth. Examples of outputdevices include a display device (e.g., a monitor or projector),speakers, a printer, a network card, and so forth.

Various techniques may be described herein in the general context ofsoftware or program modules. Generally, software includes routines,programs, objects, components, data structures, and so forth thatperform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Animplementation of these modules and techniques may be stored on ortransmitted across some form of computer readable media. Computerreadable media can be any available medium or media that can be accessedby a computing device. By way of example, and not limitation, computerreadable media may comprise “computer storage media” and “communicationsmedia.”

“Computer storage media” include volatile and non-volatile, removableand non-removable media implemented in any method or technology forstorage of information such as computer readable instructions, datastructures, program modules, or other data. Computer storage mediainclude, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or othermemory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or otheroptical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic diskstorage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which canbe used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by acomputer.

“Communication media” typically embody computer readable instructions,data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated datasignal, such as carrier wave or other transport mechanism. Communicationmedia also include any information delivery media. The term “modulateddata signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristicsset or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal.By way of example, and not limitation, communication media include wiredmedia such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wirelessmedia such as acoustic, RF, infrared, and other wireless media.Combinations of any of the above are also included within the scope ofcomputer readable media.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above.Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed asexample forms of implementing the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. One or more computer storage media having storedthereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of adevice, cause the one or more processors to: receive an indication froma user of the device of an error in a web page displayed on the device;in response to the indication, display a user interface form to allowthe user to assign a bucket to indicate the type of error and todescribe the error; and send at least one of a record describing acurrent state of the device and an indication of the bucket to an errorreporting server.
 2. One or more computer storage media as recited inclaim 1, the error comprising an error in a web application included inthe web page.
 3. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim1, the user interface form including a menu from which the user canselect the type of error.
 4. One or more computer storage media asrecited in claim 1, the user interface form including a text field intowhich the user can type a description of the error.
 5. One or morecomputer storage media as recited in claim 1, the current state of thedevice including at least a portion of a uniform resource locator (URL)of the web page.
 6. One or more computer storage media as recited inclaim 1, the current state of the device including current settings fora browser that displays the web page.
 7. One or more computer storagemedia as recited in claim 1, the current state of the device includingan indication of any extensions that are installed on a browser thatdisplays the web page.
 8. One or more computer storage media as recitedin claim 1, the instructions further causing the one or more processorsto inform the user that at least one of the record describing thecurrent state of the device and the indication of the bucket will besent to the error reporting server, and allow the user to choose whetherthe at least one of the record describing the current state of thedevice and the indication of the bucket are sent to the error reportingserver.
 9. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 1, theerror in the web page comprising one or more of: a network issue, aperformance issue, a permission error, a script error, a parsing error,a layout and rendering error, a web page or web application errordefined in the web page, and a web application source error.
 10. One ormore computer storage media as recited in claim 1, the instructionsfurther causing the one or more processors to: receive, in response toat least one of the record describing the current state of the deviceand the indication of the bucket, online error response informationdescribing how to avoid the error in the future; and display the onlineerror response information.
 11. One or more computer storage mediahaving stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or moreprocessors of a device, cause the one or more processors to: detect anerror in a web page displayed by a browser of the device; assign theerror to a bucket to indicate a type of the error; generate a recorddescribing a current state of the device; send both the record and anindication of the bucket to an error reporting server when error datacollection for the browser is turned on; and when error data collectionfor the browser is turned off, do not send the record nor the indicationof the bucket to the error reporting server.
 12. One or more computerstorage media as recited in claim 11, the instructions causing the oneor more processors to detect the error comprising instructions causingthe one or more processors to detect the error in a web applicationincluded in the web page.
 13. One or more computer storage media asrecited in claim 11, the instructions causing the one or more processorsto detect the error comprising instructions causing the one or moreprocessors to automatically detect the error.
 14. One or more computerstorage media as recited in claim 11, the current state of the deviceincluding at least a portion of a uniform resource locator (URL) of theweb page.
 15. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 11,the current state of the device including current settings for thebrowser.
 16. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 11,the current state of the device including an indication of anyextensions that are installed on the browser.
 17. One or more computerstorage media as recited in claim 11, the current state of the deviceincluding source code of the web page.
 18. One or more computer storagemedia as recited in claim 11, the error in the web page comprising oneor more of: a network issue, a performance issue, a permission error, ascript error, a parsing error, a layout and rendering error, a web pageor web application error defined in the web page, and a web applicationsource error.
 19. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim11, the instructions further causing the one or more processors to:receive, in response to the record and the indication of the bucket,online error response information describing how to avoid the error inthe future; and display the online error response information.
 20. Oneor more computer storage media as recited in claim 11, the instructionscausing the one or more processors to assign the error to a bucketcomprising instructions causing the one or more processors to assign theerror to the bucket based at least in part on one or more of: a name ofthe web page; a displayed error message; a version of the web page; anidentifier of a trigger that caused the error to be detected; a customparameter included in the web page; a domain of the web page; and a hashvalue taken by applying a hash function to a list of actions that weremost recently taken in the browser.